This invention generally relates to aiming devices. In particular, the invention relates to sighting configurations for use on firearms and other projectile-firing devices.
Aiming any projectile weapon such as a firearm (and handguns in particular) generally requires the use of an aiming device. For the past 200 years or so, nearly all firearms sights have been based on one unchanged system: a front sight post 10 (see FIG. 1) supported by a front section of a support structure 14 (e.g., the barrel, slide or frame of a gun) is aligned with a rear sight xe2x80x9cnotchxe2x80x9d 12 supported by a rear section of the support structure 14. To accurately aim using the standard notch and post system, one looks at the front post sight 10 and centers that post 10 vertically and horizontally, in the notch of the rear notch sight 12, as shown in FIG. 2. This sight picture is then aligned with the target 16 to ensure an accurate hit. FIG. 2 shows a front post 10 and a rear notch sight 12 in proper alignment with each other and with the target 16.
This method of aiming is so pervasive that some form of it is on nearly every firearm in existence. Despite the nearly universal acceptance of the notch and post system, it has a number of serious shortcomings. Many competition shooters and handgun hunters recognize these shortcomings and bypass the problems altogether. They equip their firearms with high-priced optical or red-dot style sights that are large, heavy, and bulky. They must acquire special holsters to accommodate these sights, as well as special rails on which to mount them. Despite these inconveniences, they still use them. This is a testament to the serious shortcomings of traditional notch and post sights.
However, the majority of shooters do not equip their firearms with optical sights, since their advantages are negated by their cost, size, and weight, and the need for special mounting equipment and holsters. While it is true that notch and post sights are size-efficient, cost-effective and convenient, they offer some major shortcomings, including the following:
(a) When the notch and post sights are aligned, they do not form a meaningful shape to the shooter; rather, the sights form a series of meaningless lines and/or dots. This translates into a poor level of feedback as to the state of sight alignment, particularly in an emergency situation.
(b) The rear notch is many times larger than the front post, thereby distracting the shooter""s attention from the more important front sight.
(c) Conversely, the front post is unduly small, making it difficult to see easily.
(d) Because the rear notch and front post are identical in height, it is possible that the front sight can become completely obscured behind one of the xe2x80x9cshouldersxe2x80x9d of the rear notch.
(e) While the front sight post is quite small, the overall silhouette of both sights when aligned together is relatively large and can obscure significant areas of the target.
(f) Notch and post sights are inherently less accurate since their aiming surface is either the flat top of a rectangular post or an even less precise dot. Either one of these shapes can cover significant area on the target, especially at long distances. This makes it more difficult to aim at a small or extremely specific part of a target.
(g) Acquiring a proper sight picture is relatively slow with notch and post sights.
(h) Aiming in low light is difficult (even with luminescent inserts on the sights) because the silhouette of properly aligned notch and post sights is very difficult to identify.
(i) Notch and post style sights are overly complex to align, requiring the alignment of no less than four aiming surfaces.
(j) During recoil, a firearm is lifted upwards and away from the target. The front sight post is small and difficult to find while the firearm is bobbing and moving from recoil, yet alignment of the sights and target must be re-established before the next shot can be fired. The notch and post configuration makes for slower rapid-fire shooting both in emergency and competition situations.
(k) Notch and post handgun sights generally fail under stress. It is an established fact that even when trained solely in the use of sighted-fire methods, very few gunfight survivors ever remember seeing their sights at all.
There have been other sight configurations, especially for handguns, besides notch and post sights that have seen very limited success among firearms owners. For example, U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 406,631 and 392,015 to Emerson disclose xe2x80x9cexpressxe2x80x9d style sights. This sighting configuration is faster than the notch and post configuration, but is inherently far less accurate. The large, round front sight offers no specific surface with which to aim on the target, and it obscures a great deal of target area. Further, it is not possible to determine precisely where the shot will impact. And even though the front dot is significantly larger than a traditional post, it is still small in relation to the rear sight.
Other sighting configurations have been available, but have not gained acceptance among shooters, either because of lack of advantages over notch and post style sights, an impractical size or cost, or a combination of the above factors. One example is the sighting configuration disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,121 to Jolly. While it offers the precision of a corner for the aiming surface and increased visibility, it is unduly large, bulky and obtrusive. It cannot be mounted easily on a firearm. If it is mounted on a handgun, it will not fit in most holsters. There may be mechanical issues to be overcome if it is to be mounted on a self-loading firearm. Another example is U.S. Design Pat. No. 382,038 to Nigh. This design lends itself to becoming snagged on clothing or a holster if mounted on a handgun. The front sight is still smaller than the rear sight. This sight is still quite time consuming to align, since the triangular front sight must be precisely aligned with the notch in the rear sight. This is made difficult by the fact that the notch is much smaller than a standard notch. And finally, the apex of the triangular front sight is not precisely where the aiming takes place; rather, there is first a slight vertical space between it and the rear sight, and then another vertical space between the rear sight and the target. This affords less potential accuracy.
Thus there is a need for an aiming device which allows for rapid targeting and which is not afflicted with the foregoing disadvantages of prior art sighting configurations.
The present invention comprises an aiming device which incorporates into its sight picture a corner shape for aligning with the target, and which aligns two components to form a meaningful shape or image. Meaningful is defined as a shape or image readily recognizable to the one aiming the device, such as a triangle, teardrop, arrowhead, spade shape (as seen in playing cards), rhombus, rectangle, square or any other shape that is easily recognized as a distinctive shape to the person aiming.
The aiming device in accordance with the preferred embodiments will be described with reference to a stiff support structure having front and rear sections through which a longitudinal axis passes. The front sight is supported by the front section of the support structure, while the rear sight is supported by the rear section of the support structure. In the case of firearms, the support structure will consist of a portion of the firearm, for example, a barrel, slide or frame assembly. In accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the front sight comprises a facet having a first shape when viewed from a vantage point to the rear of the rear section of the support structure. That first shape is bounded in part by a juxtaposition boundary and comprises a first vertex which constitutes the portion of the front sight furthest removed from the longitudinal axis. The rear sight comprises a facet having a second shape when viewed from the same vantage point. That second shape is also bounded in part by a juxtaposition boundary. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cjuxtaposition boundaryxe2x80x9d refers to respective portions of the boundaries of the first and second shapes which can be placed in juxtaposition to each other. In accordance with the preferred embodiments, the juxtaposition boundaries of the front and rear sights are substantially congruent when viewed from said vantage point, and the first and second shapes together appear as a polygonal shape having at least three vertices (one being the aforementioned first vertex) when the respective juxtaposition boundaries are visually juxtaposed. The sights are configured and mounted so that their juxtaposition boundaries are visually juxtaposed when viewed from said vantage point only when a line of sight of the viewer is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support structure, e.g., the centerline of the barrel bore of a gun. The front and rear sights are further configured so that the polygonal shape resulting from juxtaposition is bounded in part by a first straight line extending from the first vertex to a second vertex, and by a second straight line extending from the first vertex to a third vertex, and has a maximum width along an axis intersecting the second and third vertices. In accordance with the most preferred embodiment, the polygonal shape is a triangle having an apex at the aforementioned first vertex.
In accordance with a further feature, the aforementioned facet of the front sight is disposed at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the first vertex being the point on the front sight facet furthest removed from the rear sight.
The present invention also encompasses any projection device incorporating an aiming device of the type described above. The invention has application in guns, rifles, cannon, archery bows, laser guns, machine guns, and so forth.
If desired, the aiming device may be made adjustable for windage and elevation by attaching the device to any mechanism that will accomplish this, such as a pad which moves in the vertical and/or horizontal planes when adjusting screws are turned.